A high number of coral colonies, Montipora spp., with progressive tissue loss were reported
from the north shore of Kaua‘i by a member of the Eyes of the Reef volunteer reporting network.
The disease has a distinct lesion (semi-circular pattern of tissue loss with an adjacent
dark band) that was first observed in Hanalei Bay, Kaua‘i in 2004. The disease, initially
termed Montipora banded tissue loss, appeared grossly similar to black band disease
(BBD), which affects corals worldwide. Following the initial report, a rapid response was initiated
as outlined in Hawai‘i’s rapid response contingency plan to determine outbreak status
and investigate the disease. Our study identified the three dominant bacterial constituents
indicative of BBD (filamentous cyanobacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, sulfide-oxidizing
bacteria) in coral disease lesions from Kaua‘i, which provided the first evidence of BBD in
the Hawaiian archipelago. A rapid survey at the alleged outbreak site found disease to affect
6-7% of the montiporids, which is higher than a prior prevalence of less than 1% measured
on Kaua‘i in 2004, indicative of an epizootic. Tagged colonies with BBD had an
average rate of tissue loss of 5.7 cm2/day over a two-month period. Treatment of diseased
colonies with a double band of marine epoxy, mixed with chlorine powder, effectively reduced
colony mortality. Within two months, treated colonies lost an average of 30% less tissue
compared to untreated controls.